After the Fall Book Summary - After the Fall Book explained in key points

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After the Fall summary

Name: After the Fall
Rating: 4 (228 reviews)
Author: Ben Rhodes

Ben Rhodes

Being American in the World We've Made

4 (228 ratings)

21 mins

Topics

Political Figures Socialism & Capitalist Critique Democracy US Politics The Cold War Crises & Scandals Political Philosophy

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After the Fall
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What’s in it for me? Discover how post-Cold War America contributed to a rise in authoritarianism around the world.

At the end of the 1980s, it really looked like things were going well for democracy. People were dancing in the streets as the Berlin Wall was torn down, the Soviet empire was collapsing like a house of cards, and Eastern Europe was being liberated. For a moment, it seemed like the US, and much of the world, was moving in a democratic direction.

But then that moment passed, and in the 1990s the US was left to face what it really had to offer. Political corruption. Economic inequality. These would be the exports that would come back to haunt America in the decades to come as nationalism and authoritarianism began to rise around the world.

In these blinks, you’ll learn

the most common steps in the authoritarian playbook;
how the US War on Terror encouraged authoritarian regimes abroad; and
how American technology helped fuel Chinese oppression.

America’s standing took a dive in the post-Cold War era.

People growing up in the US in the 1980s could easily fall victim to a certain narrative about American exceptionalism. Popular movies like Top Gun and Rocky IV were indoctrinating young minds with the idea that no foreign power stood a chance against the US and its tireless brand of righteous freedom.

Real-world signs backed up this idea. The US economy was booming, the Soviet empire was crumbling, and by the end of the decade the Berlin Wall had fallen.

The collapse of the wall was as clear a sign as any that America had won the Cold War. In a way, it was a high-water mark for the US. But it also left a gaping hole, as the country asked itself, Where do we go from here? What’s our purpose in the world?

The key message is: America’s standing took a dive in the post-Cold War era.

After the Second World War, the US was all about promoting democracy. For many people, including those living under Soviet rule in the Eastern bloc, this was a compelling purpose. But after the Iron Curtain came down, things got murkier. The values America was pushing became less about personal freedoms and democracy, and more about dollars and cents. It became about growing a healthy world economy.

In places like Hungary and Russia, this move raised questions about America’s specific brand of capitalism. Politics and corruption have always gone hand-in-hand, but in the post-Cold War years, it became clear that the wealth-generating money markets of the US also came with stark economic inequality.

There was no escaping the fact that America was promoting a system designed to help the rich get richer. Not only that, but in 2008, when a crippling financial crisis steamrolled its way across Europe, the system was revealed to be a dangerous threat to anyone who wasn’t filthy rich.

At the same time, the US had spent the start of the twenty-first century in a never-ending nightmare war in the Middle East. After spreading a ruinous version of capitalism, America was flexing some ugly imperialist muscle in the guise of a so-called War on Terror. But instead of reducing acts of terrorism, the war seemed to create more violence and inspire future generations of extremists.

Once a symbol of freedom and prosperity, post-Cold War America was now spreading violence and poverty. Oh, how the mighty had fallen.

Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán shows how nationalism and authoritarianism go hand-in-hand.

Identity politics. You’ve probably heard the term a lot over the past decade, since it sits at the heart of nationalism, which has also seen a troubling rise in the post-Cold War era. Right-wing politicians are eager to exploit voters’ fears about national identity and rail against any possible threat, be it loose Western morals or Muslim refugees.

In order to stir a sense of national pride, these politicians also bend reality. They present an uncomplicated version of their nations’ histories – one that any voter can enthusiastically embrace.

Vladimir Putin’s rise to power began after the fall of the Iron Curtain.

Ironically enough, while Orbán began his career fighting against corruption and Russian influence, he ended up in a long courtship with Russia. In the US, the Republican party has taken the same strange journey – from demonizing Russia during the Cold War to openly admiring it today.

The reason is that few leaders have shown a better grasp of the authoritarian playbook than Russian president Vladimir Putin. And if your aim is to consolidate power and wealth while silencing your opponents, then Putin is certainly someone to look up to.

In many ways, America provided ammunition for authoritarianism abroad.

America’s War on Terror was a direct response to the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Obviously, the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were bound to change the US, but that doesn’t mean its reaction was necessarily a good one.

What followed was a nationalistic and militaristic response. With the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and the approval of the PATRIOT Act, civil liberties were eroded. The result was the invasion of countries that had had little to do with the 9/11 attack, and images and reports of the US military torturing people overseas.

Today’s modern, oppressive China also emerged after the Cold War.

If we look at Hungary, we see a modern, Western version of nationalist authoritarianism. If we look at Russia, we see old-fashioned ideas of sovereignty and aggressive national security. In China, we see what could very well be the future.

All three countries bear the influence of the United States, but it’s perhaps most evident in China, where late-stage capitalism and technological surveillance have collided to create something else entirely.

China has used American technology for oppressive ends.

China’s president Xi Jinping was commenting on the internet when he said, “Freedom is what order is meant for, and order is the guarantee of freedom.” If you think that sounds a lot like “Freedom is slavery,” which was the slogan for the Party in George Orwell’s 1984, you’re not alone.

Like Russia, China had been observing the possibilities of social media and the new online technologies emerging from the US over the past twenty years, and saw potential. In the case of China, this technology would form the backbone of a new “social credit” system.

There are reasons to remain hopeful that authoritarianism will fail.

The story of what’s happened around the world since the fall of the Berlin Wall isn’t just about leaders like Orbán, Putin, and Xi. It’s also filled with smaller, more personal tales of how the big decisions can affect us all.

There’s Sandor Lederer, a half-Jewish Hungarian who, like Orbán, experienced a political awakening fighting corruption in politics. But now, Lederer’s anti-corruption watchdog is considered an “enemy of the state.” Then there’s Zhanna Nemtsova, daughter of the assassinated Boris Nemtsov, who set up a foundation to promote liberal politics and democracy in his memory.

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What is After the Fall about?

After the Fall (2021) takes a sobering look at the rise of nationalism and authoritarianism in places like Hungary, China, Russia, and the United States of America. It examines how the standing and influence of the US changed in the years following the Cold War, and how this has led to the current challenges facing democracy around the world.

Who should read After the Fall?

Political junkies
Fans of democracy
Students of modern history

About the Author

Ben Rhodes is a former advisor and speechwriter for President Barack Obama and current cohost of the popular podcast Pod Save the World. He is a contributor to MSNBC and NBC News, as well as the author of the best-selling memoir The World As It Is.

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